


<!DOCTYPE html>
<html xmlns:og="http://opengraphprotocol.org/schema/" xmlns:fb="http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml">
	<head>
		<script>
		var SG_Debug = {};
		SG_Debug.initialTime = new Date();
		SG_Debug.pagedebug=(window.location.href.indexOf("pagedebug=true") > 0)?true:false;
		SG_Debug.pagedebug && window.console && console.log && console.log('[' + (new Date()-SG_Debug.initialTime)/1000 + ']' + ' Top of head.jsp');
		</script>

		


    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <meta http-equiv="content-language" content="en-us" />
    <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1" />
    <script>
        window._sf_startpt=(new Date()).getTime();
        var WCMMode = "DISABLED";
    </script>
    <title>Al Sharpton Responds to Criticism That His Movement Excludes Younger Activists - The Root</title>
    <meta name="description" content="The National Action Network leader told&amp;nbsp;The Root&amp;nbsp;that his organization is actively grooming millennial leaders who believe in his civil rights tradition." />
    <meta name="keywords" content="Al Sharpton, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Martin Luther King Jr." />
    
    
      <meta name="author" content="Jamal  Watson" />
    
    
      <meta property="article:published_time" content="2014-12-15T12:56-5:00" />
      <meta name="DC.date.issued" content="2014-12-15T12:56-5:00" />
    
    <meta property="vr:type" content="article" />



    
      
      
        <meta property="vr:category" content="Culture" />
        <meta property="article:tag" content="Culture" />
      
      
      

     <!-- Parsely -->
    
        <meta name='parsely-page' content='{
  "title": "Sharpton Responds to Criticism That His Movement Excludes Younger Activists",
  "link": "http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html",
  "image_url": "http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics/460419180-lesley-mcspadden-mother-of-police-shooting-victim.jpg.CROP.hd-medium.jpg",
  "type": "post",
  "post_id": "100141215011",
  "pub_date": "2014-12-15T12:56:00Z",
  "section": "Culture",
  "author": "Jamal Watson",
  "tags": []
}'/>
    
    

    

    <!-- Web Fonts -->
    <link href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Source+Sans+Pro:400,400italic,700,700italic' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'>

    <!-- The Root CSS -->
    <link type="text/css" href="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/css/theroot-main.89170fa4.css" rel="stylesheet" media="all" />

    



    <!-- from HTML5 Boilerplate -->
    <link rel="shortcut icon" href="http://www.theroot.com/favicon.ico" />
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/mobile/apple-touch-icon.png" />

    <!-- Google Sitemap -->
    <meta name="google-site-verification" content="R8BHi0yS0QV3Wy1FFAUWm6nwiXJSoJbp1lVSuoTtDOs" />
    <link rel="canonical" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html" />
    
    <link rel="image_src" href="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics/460419180-lesley-mcspadden-mother-of-police-shooting-victim.jpg.CROP.thumbnail-small.jpg" />
    

    <!-- Bing Validate -->
    <meta name="msvalidate.01" content="748FD16D8643D9A49E1105357E78B16A" />

      <!-- Ad Ops -->
    




    <script>
     var commercialNode = "culture";
     var commercialPageType = "article";
    </script>
    
    <!-- JS -->
    <script data-ad-site="theroot" src="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/require.js"></script>
    <script>
      requirejs.config({
      "baseUrl": "//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js",
      "paths": {
        "jquery": "//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.10.2/jquery.min",
        "modernizr": "/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/modernizr-2.6.1.min",
        "theroot": "/etc/designs/theroot/lib",
        "facebook": "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all",
        "googleplus": "//apis.google.com/js/plusone",
        "livefyre": "http://zor.livefyre.com/wjs/v3.0/javascripts/livefyre",
        "mobileredirection": "libs/redirection_mobile_1.0.0.min",
        "optimizely": "//cdn.optimizely.com/js/523750529",

        "eventie": '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/bower_components/eventie',
        'doc-ready': '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/bower_components/doc-ready',
        "eventEmitter": '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/bower_components/eventEmitter',
        'get-style-property': '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/bower_components/get-style-property',
        'get-size': '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/bower_components/get-size',
        'matches-selector': '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/bower_components/matches-selector',
        "outlayer": '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/bower_components/outlayer',
        "imagesloaded": '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/bower_components/imagesloaded',
        "masonry": '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/bower_components/masonry',

        "identity": '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/identity',
        "hogan": '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/libs/hogan-2.0.0',
        "shared": '//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/shared/js',
        "campaigns": 'http://campaigns.theroot.com/campaigns/theroot',
        "queryly": "http://www.queryly.com/js/queryly"
      },
      "shim": {
        "shared/devicemode": ["modernizr"],
        "shared/libs/base64": ["base64"],
        "imagesLoaded": { exports: "imagesLoaded" },
        "jquery-plugins/jquery.browser" : ["jquery"],
        "jquery-plugins/multicolumn" : ["jquery"],
        "optimizely": ["jquery"],
        "wpAd": {
          deps: ["jquery"],
          exports: "wpAd"
        },
        "facebook": {
          deps: ["identity/wapo_site_bottom"],
          exports: "FB"
        },
        "googleplus": {
          exports: "gPlus"
        },
        "livefyre": {
          exports: "fyre"
        },
        "mobileredirection": {
          "exports": "mobileredirection"
        },
        "queryly": {
          deps: ["jquery"],
          exports: "queryly"
        }
      }
    });

    define("config", {
      "env": {
        "edit": false
      },
      "identity": {
        "fb_xd_receiver": "http://www.theroot.com/xd_receiver.htm",
        "fb_app_id": "110960888944481",
        "publicationName": "The Root",
        "site_base_domain": "theroot.com",
        "site_path": "/",
        "wapo_secure_protocol": "https:",
        "wapo_site_url": "//id.theroot.com/identity/",
        "site_url": "//www.theroot.com/",
        "wapo_public_protocol": "http:",
        "enabled": "true",
        "cdn": "//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com",
		"myslate_domain": "//my.theroot.com/",
		"myslate_https": true
      },
      "page" : {
      
         
         "articleId": "cq-100141215011"
      
      },
      "campaigns": {
         "domain":"campaigns.theroot.com"
       },
       "site": {
         "site": "theroot",
         "title": "The Root",
         "staticUrl": "//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com",
         "omniturePrefix": "tr"
       },


      "data_domain": "http://www.theroot.com/",
      "static_domain": "//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com",
      "logging_enabled": (("prod" == "local") ||
                          ("prod" == "dev") ||
                          (window.location.href.indexOf("logging_enabled") > -1)),

      "log" : function(data) {
        requirejs(["config"], function(config) {
          if (config.logging_enabled) {
            console.log(data);
          }
          if (typeof config._log == "undefined") {
            config._log = [];
          }
          config._log.push(data);
        });
      },

      "livefyre": {
	    "network": "theroot.fyre.co",
	    "jsSourceUrl": "http://zor.livefyre.com/wjs/v3.0/javascripts/livefyre.js",
	    "siteId": "337784"
	  }

    });
    </script>

    <script src="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/js/main.min.8838e69e.js"></script>

    
    
    <script>var wp_meta_data = {"authors":["Jamal  Watson"],"contentType":"article","page_id":"100141215011","keywords":"Al Sharpton, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Martin Luther King Jr.","section":"Culture"};</script>

    
    <script>(function(d, s, id) {
      var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
      if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
      js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
      js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";
      fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
    }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));
    </script>

    <!-- Omniture -->
    



<script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">
requirejs(["s_code"], function(s) {

        s.currencyCode="usd";
        s.charSet="utf-8";
        s.trackDownloadLinks=true;
        s.trackExternalLinks=true;
        s.trackInlineStats=true;
        s.linkDownloadFileTypes="exe,zip,wav,mp3,mov,mpg,avi,wmv,doc,pdf,xls";
        s.linkInternalFilters="javascript:,theroot.com,traffic.outbrain.com";
        s.linkTrackVars="none";
        s.linkTrackEvents="none";
        s.pageName="tr - article - 100141215011 - al sharpton responds to criticism that his movement excludes younger activists";
        s.channel="tr - culture";
        s.server="www.theroot.com";
        s.prop3="article";
        s.prop4="theroot";
        s.prop5="jamal  watson";
        s.prop6="";
        s.prop12="100141215011";
        s.prop13="al sharpton responds to criticism that his movement excludes younger activists";
        s.prop14="1";
        s.prop32="cq5";
        s.prop39="culture";
        s.hier1="culture|article";
        s.eVar8="jamal  watson";
        s.eVar17="article";
s.t();
});
</script>

    
    <script>
    requirejs(["theroot_identity", "jquery"], function(tr_id, $) {
      if($.cookie("wapo_login_provider") != "Facebook"){
         $.removeCookie('tr_logout_20140926', { path: '/' });
         $.removeCookie('wapo_login_id', { path: '/' });
         $.removeCookie('wapo_secure_login_id', { path: '/' });
         $.removeCookie('wapo_groups', { path: '/' });
         $.removeCookie('wapo_display', { path: '/' });
         $.removeCookie('wapo_login_provider', { path: '/' });
         $.removeCookie('lf_secure_login_id', { path: '/' });
         $.removeCookie('lf_secure_login_id', { path: '/' });
       wapoVisitor.wapoLogout();
      }
    });
    </script>




    <!-- Facebook OG -->
    
    <meta id="ogtitle" property="og:title" content="Sharpton Responds to Criticism That His Movement Excludes Younger Activists" />
    <meta property="og:type" content="article" />
    <meta id="ogurl" property="og:url" content="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html" />
    <meta id="ogimage" property="og:image" content="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics/460419180-lesley-mcspadden-mother-of-police-shooting-victim.jpg.CROP.hd-large.jpg" />
    <meta id="ogsite" property="og:site_name" content="The Root" />
    <meta id="ogpublisher" property="og:publisher" content="https://www.facebook.com/theRoot" />
    <meta id="ogdescription" property="og:description" content="The National Action Network leader told&amp;nbsp;The Root&amp;nbsp;that his organization is actively grooming millennial leaders who believe in his civil rights tradition." />
    <meta property="fb:app_id" content="110960888944481"/>
    
    <!-- Twitter -->
    <meta name="twitter:card" value="summary" />
    <meta name="twitter:site" value="@theroot" />
    
    <meta name="twitter:creator" value="" />
    
    <meta name="twitter:url" value="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html" />
    <meta name="twitter:title" value="Sharpton Responds to Criticism That His Movement Excludes Younger Activists" />
    <meta name="twitter:description" value="Within social-justice movements, tensions often surface between older and youngster activists&mdash;that&rsquo;s hardly new. But the Rev. Al Sharpton says that recent criticism that he isn&rsquo;t doing enough to groom younger, up-and-coming activists within his civil rights tradition is simply not true. &ldquo;This is more about ideology than it is about..." />
    <meta name="twitter:image" value="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics/460419180-lesley-mcspadden-mother-of-police-shooting-victim.jpg.CROP.hd-large.jpg" />
    

    
    <meta name="sailthru.headline" content="Sharpton Responds to Criticism That His Movement Excludes Younger Activists" />
    <meta name="sailthru.subheadline" content="The National Action Network leader told&nbsp;The Root&nbsp;that his organization is actively grooming millennial leaders who believe in his civil rights tradition." />
    <meta name="sailthru.tags" content="Al Sharpton, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Martin Luther King Jr." />
    <meta name="sailthru.author" content="Jamal  Watson" />
    <meta name="sailthru.description" content="The National Action Network leader told&amp;nbsp;The Root&amp;nbsp;that his organization is actively grooming millennial leaders who believe in his civil rights tradition." />
    <meta name="sailthru.image.full" content="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics/460419180-lesley-mcspadden-mother-of-police-shooting-victim.jpg.CROP.hd-large.jpg" /> 
    

    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, height=device-height, initial-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0, target-densityDpi=device-dpi" />

    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="57x57" href="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/icons/logo-57px.69854e0b.png" />
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="72x72" href="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/icons/logo-72px.91b14ecb.png" />
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="76x76" href="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/icons/logo-76px.3a505799.png" />
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="114x114" href="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/icons/logo-114px.7157191e.png" />
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="120x120" href="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/icons/logo-120px.80e1a7b3.png" />
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="144x144" href="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/icons/logo-144px.4ad70552.png" />
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="152x152" href="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/icons/logo-152px.ab0428d1.png" />

    <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/icons/logo-144px.4ad70552.png"/>
    <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#569918"/>

        
		<script>
		SG_Debug && SG_Debug.pagedebug && window.console && console.log && console.log('[' + (new Date()-SG_Debug.initialTime)/1000 + ']' + ' Bottom of head.jsp');
		</script>
	</head>

    


<body>
  <div id="fb-root"></div>
    <div class="leaderboard-ad">
      
<div id="slug_leaderboard" class="banner ad " data-ad-type="leaderboard" data-ad-mode="large"></div>

    </div>

  

  <div class="body-inner">

    <div class="page" id="page">
      <div class="page-inner">
      <header>
        <div class="ht5-header">
          <div class="header-inner page-header-inner">

            <!-- TOP TOOLBAR -->
            <div class="header-toolbar">
              <div class="burger" id="burger">
              </div>

              <div class="logo">
                <a href="/index.html?wpisrc=logo">
                  <object type="image/svg+xml" data="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/logo.svg" class="logo-svg">
                    <img src="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/images/logo.1060a895.png" class="logo-no-svg" alt="The Root" />
                  </object>
                </a>
              </div>

              


<!-- MAGNIFY: BEGIN DYNAMIC NEW STORIES -->
              <div class="new-stories-counter">
                <div class="new-count new-stories-count">0</div>
                <div class="new-text">
                  New stories
                </div>
                <div class="new-arrow toolbar-icon hoverable">
                  <div class="new-arrow-hover toolbar-icon-hover">&nbsp;</div>
                  <div class="new-arrow-pop-up pop-up">

                    <h2>
                      <span class="new-stories-count">0</span> New Stories Since Your Last Visit
                    </h2>
                    <div class="tiffanytile-ad">
                    </div>

                    <nav>
                    <ul class="headline-list">

                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-0" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2014/09/lincoln_s_back_to_africa_solution.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100140922002">
                          <span>Did Lincoln Want to Ship Black People Back to Africa?</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-1" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/ala_grandmother_s_home_vandalized_move_n_ger_now.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102013">
                          <span>Ala. Grandmother’s Home Spray-Painted: ‘Move N--ger Now’</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-2" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/texas_server_fired_after_labeling_diners_n_gas_on_receipt.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102012">
                          <span>Texas Server Fired After Using N-Word on Receipt to Label Diners</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-3" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/new_orleans_woman_loses_her_husband_and_son_to_gun_violence_nearly_10_years.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102011">
                          <span>New Orleans Woman Loses Husband and Son to Gun Violence Nearly 10 Years After Youngest Son Was Shot to Death</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-4" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2012/12/who_was_the_black_wise_man_100_amazing_facts_about_the_negro.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="68712">
                          <span>Who Was the Black Wise Man? 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-5" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="">
                          <span>The Root 100 2014</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-6" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/get_thinspired_this_new_year_and_stick_to_your_weight_loss_goals.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150103001">
                          <span>Get <em>THINspired</em>&nbsp;This New Year and Stick to Your Weight-Loss Goals</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-7" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/the_nypd_slowdown_is_proving_that_broken_windows_is_a_failure.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102010">
                          <span>The NYPD Slowdown Is Proving That ‘Broken Windows’ Is a Failure. Isn’t It Time to Drop It?</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-8" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/john_crawford_s_girlfriend_killed_in_car_crash.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102009">
                          <span>John Crawford’s Girlfriend Killed in Car Crash</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-9" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/watch_man_arrested_for_wearing_2_finger_ring.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102008">
                          <span>Watch: Man Arrested for Wearing 2-Finger Ring</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-10" href="http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_grapevine/2015/01/watch_father_discusses_self_worth_with_his_young_daughter.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102007">
                          <span>Watch: Father Discusses Self-Worth With His Young Daughter</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-11" href="http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_grapevine/2015/01/matthew_knowles_hints_at_possible_destiny_s_child_movie.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102006">
                          <span>Mathew Knowles Hints at Possible Destiny’s Child Movie</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-12" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/ceo_of_revlon_believes_he_can_smell_blacks_when_they_walk_into_a_room_lawsuit.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102005">
                          <span>CEO of Revlon Believes He Can ‘Smell’ Blacks When They Walk Into a Room, Lawsuit Claims</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-13" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/cleveland_police_want_to_outsource_tamir_rice_shooting_investigation.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102004">
                          <span>Cleveland Police Want to Outsource Tamir Rice Shooting Investigation</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-14" href="http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_grapevine/2015/01/kanye_west_releases_new_song_from_his_late_mother_s_vantage_point.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102003">
                          <span>Kanye West Releases New Song Written From His Late Mother’s Vantage Point</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-15" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/friendship_failing_a_friend_not_a_good_move.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102002">
                          <span>A ‘Good’ Friend Wouldn’t Do What You Just Did</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-16" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2015/01/texas_ancestry_search_did_horse_rustling_do_in_allen_mack.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single  " data-articleid="100150102001">
                          <span>Did Trouble With Horse Rustling Do in My Texas Ancestor?</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      
                      
                      <a class="headline-list-item-17" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/new_year_s_resolutions_for_the_characters_on_scandal.html?wpisrc=newstories">
                        <li class="single last " data-articleid="100150101004">
                          <span>New Year’s Resolutions for Olivia Pope and Co.? Handled</span>
                        </li>
                      </a>
                      

                      <a href="/articles/recent.html"><h3 class="view-all">View All New Stories</h3></a>
                      <li class="column-filler">&nbsp;</li>

                    </ul>
                    </nav>
                  </div>
                </div>
              </div>
<!-- MAGNIFY: END DYNAMIC NEW STORIES -->


              <div class="header-social-buttons">
                <aside>
                <div class="newsletter toolbar-icon hoverable">
                  Newsletter
                  <div class="newsletter-hover toolbar-icon-hover">Newsletter</div>
                  <div class="newsletter-pop-up pop-up">
                    <div class="newsletter-intro">
                      Sign up to get <strong>The Root</strong>'s daily email newsletter
                      and <strong>The Chatterati</strong> Newsletter:
                    </div>
                    <form id="toolbar_newsletter" class="email-signup">
                      <label class="newsletter-option">
                        <input type="checkbox" class="checkbox theroot-email-checkbox"
                               name="theroot-email" checked="checked" />
                        <span>I would like to receive The Root email newsletter.</span>
                      </label>
                      <label class="newsletter-option">
                        <input type="checkbox" class="checkbox thechatterati-email-checkbox"
                               name="thechatterati-email" checked="checked" />
                        <span>I would like to receive The Chatterati email newsletter.</span>
                      </label>
                      <div class="email-form newsletter-signup-inner">
                        <input type="textfield" class="textfield email" name="email"
                               placeholder="Enter Your Email Address" />
                        <a class="button" href="#">Sign Up</a>
                      </div>
                      <div class="newsletter-status">
                        <span class="status"></span>
                        <span class="error"></span>
                      </div>
                    </form>
                  </div>
                </div>
                </aside>
                <aside>
                <div class="social-buttons toolbar-icon hoverable ">
                  <div class="social-buttons-hover toolbar-icon-hover ">&nbsp;</div>
                  <div class="social-buttons-pop-up pop-up">
                    <div class="fb-like social-button"
                         data-href="https://www.facebook.com/theRoot"
                         data-width="90"
                         data-layout="button_count"
                         data-show-faces="false"
                         data-send="false"></div>
                    <div class="social-button">
                      <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRoot" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="true">Follow @TheRoot</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="g-follow-wrapper social-button">
                      <div class="g-follow" data-annotation="none" data-height="20" data-href="https://plus.google.com/115339866528940058128" data-rel="publisher"></div>
                    </div>
                    <div class="pin-follow-wrapper social-button">
                      <a class="pin-follow" data-pin-do="buttonFollow" href="http://pinterest.com/TheRoot">The Root</a>
                    </div>

                  </div>
                </div>
                </aside>

                

                <aside>
                <div class="avatar toolbar-icon hoverable">
                  <div class="avatar-hover toolbar-icon-hover">&nbsp;</div>
                  <div class="avatar-pop-up pop-up" id="avatar_pop_up">
                  </div>
                </div>
                </aside>
                
                

                <aside>
                <div class="search toolbar-icon hoverable">
                  <div class="search-hover toolbar-icon-hover">&nbsp;</div>
                  <div class="search-pop-up pop-up">
                    <input class="searchfield textfield queryly" type="textfield" name="q" placeholder="Search The Root" />
                    <div id="queryly_results_container" style="margin-left:-20px"></div>
                  </div>
                </div>
                </aside>
              </div>

            </div><!-- /header-toolbar -->

            <div class="tiffanytile-ad">
              
<div id="slug_tiffanytile" class="ad " data-ad-type="tiffanytile" data-ad-mode="desktop"></div>

            </div>

          </div> <!-- /header-inner -->
        </div> <!-- /ht5-header -->

      </header>
          <!-- MAGNIFY: BEGIN DYNAMIC NAV -->
          

            <nav class="top-nav" id="top-nav">
              <div class="ht5-nav">
                <ul class="top-nav-list">
                  <li class="list-item-1 top-nav-popular sub-menu popular navchips-none" data-section="popular">
                    <a href="/articles/popular.html">
                      <div class="nav-item-link"><span>
                        Popular
                      </span></div>

                      <div class="segue accent-popular">
                        <div class="segue-inner"></div>
                      </div>
                    </a>

                    <div style="display: block;" class="inner-nav accent-popular">

                      <ul class="inner-nav-list headline-list">
                        <div class="left">
                          <!-- Populate with Parsely -->
                        </div>
                        <div class="right">
                          <!-- Popular with JS -->
                          <span class="more-headlines">More Headlines</span>

                        </div>
                      </ul>
                    </div>
                  </li>

                  <li class="list-item-2 top-nav-power-politics first sub-menu navchips-politics" data-section="politics">
                    <a href="/articles/politics.html">
                      <div class="nav-item-link">
                        <span>
                          Politics
                        </span>
                      </div>

                      <div class="segue ">
                        <div class="segue-inner arrows-politics"></div>
                      </div>

                    </a>



<!-- /content/theroot/articles/politics/jcr:content -->
    <!-- /content/theroot/articles/the_root_tv --> 
    <div class="inner-nav accent-politics">

    <ul class="inner-nav-list headline-list">
      <div class="left">

    
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2015/01/la_black_republican_defends_scalise_against_white_supremacist_controversy.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/politics/2015/01/la_black_republican_defends_scalise_against_white_supremacist_controversy/guillory2013.jpg.CROP.rectangle-medium.jpg" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">La. Black Republican Defends Scalise Against White Supremacist Controversy</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2014/12/dnc_slams_la_rep_steve_scalise_s_explanation_for_speaking_to_white_supremacist.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/politics/2014/12/dnc_slams_la_rep_steve_scalise_s_explanation_for_speaking_to_white_supremacist/458925676-house-majority-whip-steve-scalise-r-joins-house-speaker.jpg.CROP.rectangle-medium.jpg" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">DNC Slams La. Rep. Steve Scalise’s Explanation for Speaking to White Supremacist Group</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
      </div>
      <div class="right">
        <span class="more-headlines">More Headlines</span>
        <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2014/12/the_potential_republican_presidential_hopefuls_for_2016_are_a_diverse_bunch.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Projected 2016 GOP Presidential Hopefuls Are a Diverse Bunch</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2014/12/ny_mayor_jeered_at_police_graduation_ceremony.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>NYC Mayor Jeered at Police Graduation</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2014/12/gop_lawmakers_warm_to_loretta_lynch_for_us_attorney_general.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>GOP Lawmakers Warm to Loretta Lynch for US Attorney General</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2014/12/cuba_won_t_hand_over_assata_shakur.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Cuba Won’t Hand Over Assata Shakur </span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2014/12/obama_s_best_moments_in_2014.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>President Obama’s Best 2014 Moments</span></li></a>
      </div>
    </ul>
    </div>


                  </li>

                  <li class="list-item-3 top-nav-culture sub-menu culture navchips-culture" data-section="culture">
                    <a href="/articles/culture.html">
                      <div class="nav-item-link">
                        <span>
                          Culture
                        </span>
                      </div>

                      <div class="segue ">
                        <div class="segue-inner arrows-culture"></div>
                      </div>

                    </a>



<!-- /content/theroot/articles/culture/jcr:content -->
    <!-- /content/theroot/articles/the_root_tv --> 
    <div class="inner-nav accent-culture">

    <ul class="inner-nav-list headline-list">
      <div class="left">

    
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/ala_grandmother_s_home_vandalized_move_n_ger_now.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/culture/2015/01/ala_grandmother_s_home_vandalized_move_n_ger_now/screen_shot_20150102_at_2.48.05_pm.png.CROP.rectangle-medium.png" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">Ala. Grandmother’s Home Spray-Painted: ‘Move N--ger Now’</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/texas_server_fired_after_labeling_diners_n_gas_on_receipt.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/culture/2015/01/texas_server_fired_after_labeling_diners_n_gas_on_receipt/screen_shot_20150102_at_2.41.51_pm.png.CROP.rectangle-medium.png" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">Texas Server Fired After Using N-Word on Receipt to Label Diners</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
      </div>
      <div class="right">
        <span class="more-headlines">More Headlines</span>
        <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/new_orleans_woman_loses_her_husband_and_son_to_gun_violence_nearly_10_years.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>New Orleans Woman Loses Husband and Son to Gun Violence Nearly 10 Years After Youngest Son Was Shot to Death</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/get_thinspired_this_new_year_and_stick_to_your_weight_loss_goals.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Get THINspired This New Year and Stick to Your Weight-Loss Goals</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/the_nypd_slowdown_is_proving_that_broken_windows_is_a_failure.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>The NYPD Slowdown Is Proving That ‘Broken Windows’ Is a Failure. Isn’t It Time to Drop It?</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/john_crawford_s_girlfriend_killed_in_car_crash.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>John Crawford’s Girlfriend Killed in Car Crash</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/watch_man_arrested_for_wearing_2_finger_ring.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Watch: Man Arrested for Wearing 2-Finger Ring</span></li></a>
      </div>
    </ul>
    </div>



                  </li>

                  <li class="list-item-4 top-nav-history sub-menu history navchips-history" data-section="history">
                    <a href="/articles/history.html">
                      <div class="nav-item-link">
                        <span>
                          History
                        </span>
                      </div>

                      <div class="segue">
                        <div class="segue-inner arrows-history"></div>
                      </div>

                    </a>



<!-- /content/theroot/articles/history/jcr:content -->
    <!-- /content/theroot/articles/the_root_tv --> 
    <div class="inner-nav accent-history">

    <ul class="inner-nav-list headline-list">
      <div class="left">

    
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2014/09/lincoln_s_back_to_africa_solution.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/history/2014/09/lincoln_s_back_to_africa_solution/lincoln_and_slaves.jpg.CROP.rectangle-medium.jpg" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">Did Lincoln Want to Ship Black People Back to Africa?</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2012/12/who_was_the_black_wise_man_100_amazing_facts_about_the_negro.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/history/2012/12/blackseejesus_122012_575se.jpg.CROP.rectangle-medium.jpg" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">Who Was the Black Wise Man? 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
      </div>
      <div class="right">
        <span class="more-headlines">More Headlines</span>
        <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2015/01/texas_ancestry_search_did_horse_rustling_do_in_allen_mack.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Did Trouble With Horse Rustling Do in My Texas Ancestor?</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2014/12/blacks_in_western_art_the_story_of_a_nubian_king_etched_in_stone.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>The Story of a Nubian King Etched in Stone</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2014/04/why_most_black_people_aren_t_part_indian.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>High Cheekbones and Straight Black Hair?</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2014/12/cape_verdean_ancestry_how_do_i_trace_it.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>How Do I Trace My Cape Verdean Ancestry?</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/history/2014/12/blacks_in_western_art_in_adoration_of_the_magi_a_black_king_plays_an_exalted.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>In Goya’s Adoration of the Magi, a Black King Plays an Exalted Role</span></li></a>
      </div>
    </ul>
    </div>



                  </li>

                  <li class="list-item-5 top-nav-root-tv sub-menu root-tv navchips-videos" data-section="root-tv">
                    <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com">
                      <div class="nav-item-link"><span>
                        The Root TV
                      </span></div>
                      <div class="segue">
                        <div class="segue-inner arrows-videos"></div>
                      </div>
                    </a>


<!-- /content/theroot/articles/the_root_tv/jcr:content -->
    <!-- /content/theroot/articles/the_root_tv --> 
    <div class="inner-nav accent-videos">

    <ul class="inner-nav-list headline-list">
      <div class="left">

    
            <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Oregon-Players-Face-Team-Discip?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/magnifythumbs/HSZ5WQ0W35GGJWCW.jpg" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">Oregon Players Face Team Discipline after Chanting 'No Means No'</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
            <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Waiter-Fired-for-Racist-Remarks?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/magnifythumbs/8Z48NF235MDPVZR3.jpg" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">Waiter Fired for Racist Remarks Show Up on Receipts</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
      </div>
      <div class="right">
        <span class="more-headlines">More Headlines</span>
        <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Movie-Trailer-for-That-Daughter?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Movie Trailer for 'That Daughter's Crazy'</span></li></a><a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Muriel-Bowser-Sworn-in-as-D.C.?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Muriel Bowser Sworn in as D.C. Mayor</span></li></a><a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Reports-John-Crawford-s-Girlfri?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Reports: John Crawford's Girlfriend Killed in Crash</span></li></a><a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Make-2015-Awesome-Happy-New-Yea?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Make 2015 Awesome: Happy New Year from Kid President</span></li></a><a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Remarkable-Odds-Baby-Born-at-Un?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Cleveland Baby Born on New Year's Day Shares Birthday with Mom and Dad</span></li></a>
      </div>
    </ul>
    </div>



                  </li>

                  <li class="list-item-6 top-nav-photos sub-menu photos navchips-photos" data-section="photos">
                    <a href="/photos.html">
                      <div class="nav-item-link"><span>
                        Photos
                      </span></div>
                      <div class="segue">
                        <div class="segue-inner arrows-photos"></div>
                      </div>
                    </a>



<!-- /content/theroot/photos/jcr:content -->
    <!-- /content/theroot/articles/the_root_tv --> 
    <div class="inner-nav accent-photos">

    <ul class="inner-nav-list headline-list">
      <div class="left">

    
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/photos/2014/12/_2014_deaths_a_tribute_to_the_ones_we_lost.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com:80/root-slideshow-prod/images%2Fcovers%2Fslideshow_391-cover.png" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">2014 In Memoriam</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/photos/2014/12/the_heroes_of_selma_and_the_stars_who_play_them_in_the_movie.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com:80/root-slideshow-prod/images%2Fcovers%2Fslideshow_390-cover.png" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">Selma Heroes</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
      </div>
      <div class="right">
        <span class="more-headlines">More Headlines</span>
        <a href="http://www.theroot.com/photos/2014/11/_50_gift_ideas_from_50_black_owned_businesses.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>50 Black-Owned Gifts</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/photos/2014/12/black_actors_in_traditionally_white_roles.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Black Actors In White Roles</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/photos/2014/12/the_most_popular_twitter_hashtags_in_2014.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Popular Hashtags in 2014</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/photos/2014/12/the_15_best_fiction_novels_by_black_authors_in_2014.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>The 15 Fiction Books by Black</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/photos/2014/12/_13_favorite_christmas_albums_by_black_artists.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>13 Albums to Get You in the Christmas Spirit</span></li></a>
      </div>
    </ul>
    </div>


                  </li>

                  <li class="list-item-7 top-nav-lists sub-menu lists navchips-lists" data-section="lists">
                    <a href="/articles/lists.html">
                      <div class="nav-item-link"><span>
                        Lists
                      </span></div>
                      <div class="segue">
                        <div class="segue-inner arrows-lists"></div>
                      </div>
                    </a>


<!-- /content/theroot/articles/lists/jcr:content -->
    <!-- /content/theroot/articles/the_root_tv --> 
    <div class="inner-nav accent-lists">

    <ul class="inner-nav-list headline-list">
      <div class="left">

    
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/uploads/2014/9/10/tr100_1.png.CROP.rectangle-medium.png" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">The Root 100 2014</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
            <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/12/poll_name_your_favorite_denzel_washington_movies.html?wpisrc=burger">
              <li class="box">
                <img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/articles/lists/2014/12/poll_name_your_favorite_denzel_washington_movies/106475673-actor-denzel-washington-gives-a-press-conference-on.jpg.CROP.rectangle-medium.jpg" width="200" />
                <h6 class="headline">Poll: Did We Miss Your Favorite Denzel Washington Movie?</h6>
              </li>
            </a>
            
      </div>
      <div class="right">
        <span class="more-headlines">More Headlines</span>
        <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/12/the_root_s_most_watched_videos_of_2014.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>The Top 15 Videos of 2014</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_adds_a_people_s_choice_award_voted_on_by_readers.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>The Root 100 Adds a People’s Choice Award, Voted on by Readers</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/08/socially_awkward_let_king_bey_be_your_guide.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>Beyoncé’s 20-Step Guide to Networking for the Socially Awkward</span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/07/_15_slang_terms_time_will_try_to_define_next.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>15 Slang Terms and How to Use Them in a Sentence  </span></li></a><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/01/the_2014_young_futurists.html?wpisrc=burger"><li class="single "><span>The 2014 Young Futurists</span></li></a>
      </div>
    </ul>
    </div>


                  </li>

                  <li class="list-item-8 top-nav-the-chatterati the-chatterati navchips-none" data-section="the-chatterati">
                    <a href="http://www.theroot.com/the-chatterati.html?wpisrc=topnav">
                      <div class="nav-item-link"><span>
                        The Chatterati
                      </span></div>
                    </a>
                  </li>

                  <!--

                  <li class="list-item-9 top-nav-announcements announcements navchips-none" data-section="announcements">
                    <a href="http://announcements.theroot.com?wpisrc=topnav">
                      <div class="nav-item-link"><span>
                        Announcements
                      </span></div>
                    </a>
                  </li>

                  <li class="list-item-10 top-nav-jobs jobs navchips-none" data-section="jobs">
                    <a href="http://jobs.theroot.com">
                      <div class="nav-item-link"><span>
                        Jobs
                      </span></div>
                    </a>
                  </li>

                  <li class="list-item-11 top-nav-family-research last family-research navchips-none" data-section="family-research">
                    <a href="http://theroot.lineages.com">
                      <div class="nav-item-link"><span>
                        Family Research
                      </span></div>
                    </a>
                  </li>
                  -->

                </ul>

                <div class="clear"></div>
              </div>
            </nav>

          <!-- MAGNIFY: END DYNAMIC NAV -->
         </div>
    </div>


    <div id="header_advert" class="advert">
    
<div id="slug_t" class="tAd ad " data-ad-type="t" data-ad-mode="mobile"></div>

    </div>



        





  
  
    <div style="height:100px;" class="horizontal-band accent-band-culture">
  


  <aside>
        <div class="pagination-link pagination-link-prev"></div>
        <div class="pagination-link pagination-link-next"></div>       
          <div id="parsely-band" class="swipe">
            <div class="parsely-band-wrap"></div>
          </div>
    </aside>
</div>
<div style="clear:both"></div>
    
    <div class="page-main" id="page-main">
      <div class="page-inner-main">
        <!-- MAGNIFY: BEGIN CONTENT -->

    
    <script>
      SG_Debug && SG_Debug.pagedebug && window.console && console.log && console.log('[' + (new Date()-SG_Debug.initialTime)/1000 + ']' + ' Bottom of header.jsp');
    </script>


    







<div class="content-wrapper-placeholder">

<article itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Article" class="article-page">
    <nav>
        <div class="breadcrumb">
            <div class="crumbs">
                <div class="home"><a href="/">Home</a></div>
                <div class="last"><a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture.html"><span itemprop="articleSection">Culture</span></a></div>
            </civ>
        </div>
    </nav>

    <header>
      <div class="article-hd">
        <h1 itemprop="name" class="title">Sharpton Responds to Criticism That His Movement Excludes Younger Activists</h1>
        <p class="blurb">The National Action Network leader told&nbsp;<strong><em>The Root</em></strong>&nbsp;that his organization is actively grooming millennial leaders who believe in his civil rights tradition.</p>
        <div class="author-info">
          
          <div class="meta">

            
            <div class="byline" id="main_byline">
              <div class="auth">By: <span itemprop="author" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name"><a rel="author" href="http://www.theroot.com/authors.jamal_watson.html">Jamal  Watson</a></span></span></div>
            </div>
            
                
            <div class="date">Posted: <span itemprop="datePublished" content="2014-12-15T12:56:00.000-05:00">Dec. 15 2014 12:56 PM</span>
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>

      


        <!-- Horizontal -->
        <div id="share-box-top" class="horiz-sharebox social-onload share-box-flank">
          <div class="social">
            <div class="comments">
              <a href="#comments_link">
                <div class="icon"></div>
              </a>
            </div>
            <div class="twitter">
              <a class="tweet" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theroot.com%2Farticles%2Fculture%2F2014%2F12%2Frev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html&amp;text=Sharpton+Responds+to+Criticism+That+His+Movement+Excludes+Younger+Activists&amp;via=TheRoot">
                <div class="icon"></div>
                <div class="count">0</div>
              </a>
            </div>
            <div class="facebook-like">
              <span>
              <fb:like send="false" layout="button_count" width="50" show_faces="false" font="verdana" ref="sm_fb_like_toolbar" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html">
              </fb:like>
            </span>
            </div>
            <div class="facebook">
              <a class="fb-share" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html">
                <div class="icon"></div>
                <div class="count"></div>
              </a>
            </div>
            
            <div class="mail">
                 <a href="mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20piece%20on%20The%20Root&body=I%20thought%20you%20might%20like%20this%20article%20on%20The%20Root:%0ASharpton%20Responds%20to%20Criticism%20That%20His%20Movement%20Excludes%20Younger%20Activists%0Ahttp://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html"><div class="icon"></div></a>
            </div>
          </div>
         </div>
        <div id="share-box-flank-pos">&nbsp;</div>



    </header>

        
<section itemprop="articleBody" class="content">
    
    <div class="body parsys">


                    
                    <div class="theroot_image parbase image slate_image section">




<div class="sl-art-illo-cntr" style="text-align:center;width: 670px;margin: 0 auto;display: block;float: none;">
<img title="460419180-lesley-mcspadden-mother-of-police-shooting-victim" alt="460419180-lesley-mcspadden-mother-of-police-shooting-victim" class="cq-dd-image sl-img-no-new-tab sl-art-illo" src="/content/dam/theroot/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics/460419180-lesley-mcspadden-mother-of-police-shooting-victim.jpg.CROP.rtstory-large.jpg" >
	
		<div class="sl-art-illo-cap" style="">
		
			Lesley McSpadden, the mother of police shooting victim Michael Brown, and the Rev. Al Sharpton lead the Justice for All march through the nation’s capital Dec. 13, 2014, in Washington, D.C.
        
			<span class="sl-art-illo-cred"><p>Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</p>
</span>
		
		</div><!--/sl-art-illo-cap-->
	
</div><!--/sl-art-illo-cntr-->


</div>
<div class="tablet-body-bigbox">
                            
<div id="slug_bigbox" class="ad " data-ad-type="bigbox" data-ad-mode="tablet"></div>

                          </div>

                    
                    <div class="text text-1 parbase section">

<p>Within social-justice movements, tensions often surface between older and youngster activists&mdash;that&rsquo;s hardly new. But the Rev. Al Sharpton says that <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/the_fierce_urgency_of_now_why_young_protesters_bum_rushed_the_mic.html?wpisrc=topstories">recent criticism</a> that he isn&rsquo;t doing enough to groom younger, up-and-coming activists within his civil rights tradition is simply not true.</p>


</div>

            



            

                    
                    <div class="text-2 text parbase section">

<p>&ldquo;This is more about ideology than it is about generational differences,&rdquo; Sharpton told <strong><em>The Root</em></strong><em><strong>.</strong> </em>He pointed to dozens of his prot&eacute;g&eacute;s&mdash;all in their 20s and 30s&mdash;who have committed themselves to the principles of an interracial and nonviolent movement.&nbsp;</p>


</div>

                        <div class="mobile-ad">
                            
<div id="slug_mob_bigbox" class="ad " data-ad-type="mob_bigbox" data-ad-mode="mobile"></div>

                        </div>
                     

                    
                    <div class="text-3 text parbase section">

<p>&ldquo;I have spent an inordinate amount of time trying to make sure that we can continue this movement and National Action Network for the next 30 to 40 years when I am gone,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Leadership cannot be willed. I can&rsquo;t pass the torch. I can only keep the flame lit.&rdquo;</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text parbase text-4 section">

<p>For his part, Sharpton is not sure who will replace him after he exits the national stage, but he said that it&rsquo;s not up to him to handpick his successor. That person &ldquo;has to put in the work and earn it,&rdquo; he said.</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text parbase text-5 section">

<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m sure I was not Jesse&rsquo;s [Jackson] choice. There were other guys who were probably more palpable to him,&rdquo; said Sharpton, who as a teenager served as the youth director of Brooklyn&rsquo;s <a href="http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_operation_breadbasket/">Operation Breadbasket</a>&mdash;the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference that Jackson directed at the request of Martin Luther King Jr.&nbsp;</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text text-6 parbase section">

<p>But by the mid-2000s, Sharpton had gone on to surpass his mentor in national prominence, much to the chagrin of those who had hoped that Sharpton would fade away from the public spotlight. &ldquo;I was too young to know for sure, but it&rsquo;s possible that Jesse wasn&rsquo;t Dr. King&rsquo;s choice, either,&rdquo; he said.</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text parbase text-7 section">

<p>Sharpton said that contrary to some reports, a diverse group of young people were invited to speak at the Dec. 13 <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/_a_movement_not_just_a_moment_thousands_march_in_d_c_protesting_police_violence.html">Justice for All</a>&nbsp;rally in Washington, D.C. The event drew more than 10,000 people to the nation&rsquo;s capital to train a spotlight on the killing of unarmed black men in the wake of several high-profile shootings, as well as to urge Congress to take up legislation that would require closer monitoring of police departments across the country.</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text parbase text-8 section">

<p>&ldquo;This was not a revolutionary march, and I don&rsquo;t apologize for that,&rdquo; said Sharpton, who added that he had not yet arrived at the rally when a group of protesters, whom he did not know, stormed the stage and demanded to speak. He said that when he arrived on the scene later, he granted the activists speaking time after they assured him that they were not going to call for violence or promote inflammatory rhetoric against nonblacks.</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text parbase text-9 section">

<p>&ldquo;This was not promoted as a town hall meeting,&rdquo; he said.</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text parbase text-10 section">

<p>Sharpton recalled that at one point during the protests after the Trayvon Martin shooting, a demonstrator <a href="http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-24/news/os-trayvon-martin-new-black-panthers-protest-20120324_1_sanford-vigilante-justice-black-men">publicly called for</a> a $10,000 bounty to be placed on the life of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watchman who killed Trayvon. The slain teen&rsquo;s parents, however, as well as the parents of the other shooting victims who have worked with Sharpton, have called for peaceful demonstrations.</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text-11 text parbase section">

<p>&ldquo;This was not just a Ferguson march,&rdquo; Sharpton said of Saturday&rsquo;s event. &ldquo;This was for all of the families, and we had them all represented.&rdquo;</p>


</div>

                    


<aside class="see-also">
    <h1 class="header">See Also</h1>
<div class="aside-main">
    <ul>
        
            
                
                    
                        <li ><a class="also-link" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/ala_grandmother_s_home_vandalized_move_n_ger_now.html?wpisrc=see_also_article">Ala. Grandmother’s Home Spray-Painted: ‘Move N--ger Now’</a></li>
                    
                
        
            
                
                    
                        <li ><a class="also-link" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/texas_server_fired_after_labeling_diners_n_gas_on_receipt.html?wpisrc=see_also_article">Texas Server Fired After Using N-Word on Receipt to Label Diners</a></li>
                    
                
        
            
                
                    
                        <li ><a class="also-link" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/new_orleans_woman_loses_her_husband_and_son_to_gun_violence_nearly_10_years.html?wpisrc=see_also_article">New Orleans Woman Loses Husband and Son to Gun Violence Nearly 10 Years After Youngest Son Was Shot to Death</a></li>
                    
                
        
            
                
                    
                        <li ><a class="also-link" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/get_thinspired_this_new_year_and_stick_to_your_weight_loss_goals.html?wpisrc=see_also_article">Get <em>THINspired</em>&nbsp;This New Year and Stick to Your Weight-Loss Goals</a></li>
                    
                
        
            
                
                    
                        <li ><a class="also-link" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/the_nypd_slowdown_is_proving_that_broken_windows_is_a_failure.html?wpisrc=see_also_article">The NYPD Slowdown Is Proving That ‘Broken Windows’ Is a Failure. Isn’t It Time to Drop It?</a></li>
                    
                
        
            
                
                    
                        <li class='last'><a class="also-link" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/01/john_crawford_s_girlfriend_killed_in_car_crash.html?wpisrc=see_also_article">John Crawford’s Girlfriend Killed in Car Crash</a></li>
                    
                
        
    </ul>
</div>
</aside>
            

                    
                    <div class="text-12 text parbase section">

<p>Several of the activists said that they showed up at the rally even though they disagree philosophically with Sharpton&rsquo;s tactics and strategy.</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text-13 text parbase section">

<p>&ldquo;We came here knowing that our voices would be excluded from the program,&rdquo; said Janessa Robinson, an organizer with D.C. Ferguson, the group of activists who rushed the stage. &ldquo;We had to force them to give us a voice.&rdquo;</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text text-14 parbase section">

<p>Robinson dismissed the march as &ldquo;an event and not a representation of the movement&rdquo; and chided national civil rights leaders for refusing to acknowledge the activists who have largely been responsible for the near-daily protests taking place across the country in the wake of nonindictments by grand juries after the killings, by police, of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Eric Garner in New York City.</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text text-15 parbase section">

<p>It&rsquo;s a charge that&rsquo;s rejected by Sharpton, who noted that his organization has a vibrant Ferguson chapter, headed by a young minister, the Rev. Carlton Lee, who he said has been on the front lines of many of these protests.</p>


</div>


                    
                    <div class="text parbase text-16 section">

<p>Sharpton said he was unsure why activists who disagreed with his political tactics and strategy would want to attend the gathering in the first place. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t go to marches spearheaded by people who I disagree with,&rdquo; said Sharpton. &ldquo;I just do what I&rsquo;m doing.&rdquo;</p>


</div>




</div>

    
        

  
  <section class="about-the-author multi">
    
    <div class="author-bio">
      <p>
        <p><i>Jamal Watson is the senior staff writer for Diverse: Issues in Higher Education and the author of a forthcoming biography of the Rev. Al Sharpton. Follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%40jamalericwatson&amp;src=typd">Twitter.</a></i></p>
<p><b><i>Like</i></b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/theRoot"><b><i>&nbsp;</i>The Root&nbsp;<i>on Facebook</i></b></a><b><i>. Follow us on</i></b><a href="https://twitter.com/TheRoot"><b><i>&nbsp;Twitter</i></b></a><b>.</b></p>

	  </p>
	</div>
	
  </section>
  

        
    
    

</section>


<!-- Need to build the components -->
  <div class="pagination">
    

  </div><!-- /.pagination -->
<div style="clear:both;"></div>



    <script>
    requirejs(["jquery", "config"], function($, config) {
      $(function() {
         try {
           var hideDropCap = false;
           
           if(!hideDropCap){
               var regex = /[^a-zA-Z0-9]/,
                regex2 = /(>)([a-zA-Z0-9])/,
                $p = $(".article-page div.body div.text:first p:first"),
                textString = $p.html(),
                firstLetter = (!regex.test(textString[0])) ? textString[0] : regex2.exec(textString)[2],
                marginalDropCap = '<span class="dropcap dropcap-accent-culture">' + firstLetter + '</span>',
                cpn = 0;

               if ((!regex.test($p.text()[0])) && (cpn < 2)) {
                 $p.html(textString.replace(firstLetter, marginalDropCap));          
               }
            }

           //TODO:: plugin
           $('blockquote').addClass('quote-accent-culture').wrapInner('<div class="buffer"></div>').prepend('<div class="blockquote-blockquote-start"></div>').append('<div class="blockquote-blockquote-end"></div>');
         } catch (error) {
           config.log(error);
         }
      });
    });
    </script>


<!-- We Recommend/ More From Partners -->

      <div class="footer-tiles">
       <div class="row">
          <div class="outbrain">

  <div id="outbrain_placeholder"></div>
  <div class="tr-outbrain-divider"></div>

  <script type="text/javascript">
  requirejs(['jquery'], function($) {
    var createOutbrainDivs = function(widgetId) {
      var divHtml = '<div class="OUTBRAIN" data-src="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html" data-widget-id="' + widgetId + '" data-ob-template="theroot" ></div>';
      $("#outbrain_placeholder").append(divHtml);
    }
    createOutbrainDivs("AR_1");
  
    $('<script>', {src: '//widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js'}).appendTo('body');
  });
  </script>

  </div>
 
       </div>
      </div> <!-- /.footer-tiles -->
      <div class="row from-our-sponsors">
         <div class="contentAd contentad">


<div id="content_ad" class="row from-our-sponsors"></div>
<script type="text/javascript">
  (function() {
    var params =
      {
        id : "0ddfb6df-a979-4033-87a5-3f7c8fd843af",
        d  : "c2xhdGUuY29t",
        wid: "4275"
      };

    var qs="";for(var key in params){qs+=key+"="+params[key]+"&"}qs=qs.substring(0,qs.length-1);
    var s = document.createElement("script");
    s.type= 'text/javascript';
    s.src = "http://api.content.ad/Scripts/widget.js?" + qs;
    s.async = true;
    document.getElementById("content_ad").appendChild(s);
  }());
</script>

<style>
#ac_4275 .ac_header_title {
text-align: center;
zoom: 1;
font-size: 14px;
background: 
#281b21;
color: 
white;
padding-top: 13px;
padding-bottom: 9px;
display: block;
font-family: sl-BrandonGrotesque;
font-style: normal;
font-weight: normal;  
}
#ac_4275 .ac_adbox {
  text-align: center;
}
#ac_4275 .ac_container {
  padding: 0 10px;
}

</style></div>

      </div>


<!-- /.We Recommend/ More From Partners -->




  



<a name="comments_link" id="comments_link"></a>
<section class="comments">

<div id="comments" class="comments-container" data-lf-hash="MzM3Nzg0OmNxLTEwMDE0MTIxNTAxMQ==">
  <div id="livefyre">
  </div>
  <div id="powered_by_livefyre_new"><a href="http://livefyre.com" target="_blank">Powered by Livefyre</a></div>


</div>

<script type="text/javascript">
requirejs(["theroot_livefyre", "jquery", "config"], function(loadLivefyre, $, config) {
   if (typeof config.env.edit != "undefined" && !config.env.edit) {
     loadLivefyre({
       streamConfig: [{
         "collectionMeta": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ0aXRsZSI6IlNoYXJwdG9uIFJlc3BvbmRzIHRvIENyaXRpY2lzbSBUaGF0IEhpcyBNb3ZlbWVudCBFeGNsdWRlcyBZb3VuZ2VyIEFjdGl2aXN0cyIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudGhlcm9vdC5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZXMvY3VsdHVyZS8yMDE0LzEyL3Jldl9zaGFycHRvbl9yZXNwb25kc190b19oaXNfY3JpdGljcy5odG1sP3dwaXNyY1x1MDAzZGxmIiwidGFncyI6IiIsImNoZWNrc3VtIjoiYTE4MGIwZTRmODllMTZhYTEyZTNiODM5MGY4ZGMxZTQiLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJjcS0xMDAxNDEyMTUwMTEifQ.ONTSoWVm4H-vG4JZ_YVqcmbW_MMFYYXcgTBuR40Km6I",
         "postToButtons": ['tw', 'fb'],
         "siteId": 337784,
         "articleId": "cq-100141215011",
         "el": "livefyre"
       }],
       'network': "theroot.fyre.co"
     });


   }
 });


</script>
</section>






</div>



</article>
</div>




<!-- toolbar floating flank -->
  <div id="share-box-flank" class="share-box-flank">
    <div id="share-box-flank-inner">
      <div class="comments">
        <a href="#comments_link"><div class="icon"></div></a>
      </div>
      <div class="social">
        <div class="twitter" data-tweettext="Sharpton Responds to Criticism That His Movement Excludes Younger Activists">
          <a class="tweet" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theroot.com%2Farticles%2Fculture%2F2014%2F12%2Frev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html&amp;text=Sharpton+Responds+to+Criticism+That+His+Movement+Excludes+Younger+Activists&amp;via=TheRoot">
            <div class="icon"></div>
            <div class="count"></div>
           </a>
        </div>
        <div class="facebook-like">
            <span>
              <fb:like send="false" layout="box_count" width="50" show_faces="false" font="verdana" ref="sm_fb_like_toolbar" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html">
              </fb:like>
            </span>
        </div>
        <div class="facebook">
          <a class="fb-share" href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/12/rev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html">
            <div class="icon"></div>
            <div class="count"></div>
          </a>
        </div>
        
        <div class="mail">
          <a href="mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20piece%20on%20The%20Root&body=I%20thought%20you%20might%20like%20this%20article%20on%20The%20Root:%0ASharpton%20Responds%20to%20Criticism%20That%20His%20Movement%20Excludes%20Younger%20Activists%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.theroot.com%2Farticles%2Fculture%2F2014%2F12%2Frev_sharpton_responds_to_his_critics.html"><div class="icon"></div></a>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
 </div>
<!-- ./toolbar floating flank -->

<script>
  requirejs(["sharebox"], function(sharebox) { sharebox.init(); });
</script>

    
    <script>
      SG_Debug && SG_Debug.pagedebug && window.console && console.log && console.log('[' + (new Date()-SG_Debug.initialTime)/1000 + ']' + ' Bottom of body.jsp');
    </script>


    

    


<aside>
<div class="ht5-aside tr-right-rail">

  





    

	
<div id="slug_flex" class="ad " data-ad-type="flex" data-ad-mode="desktop"></div>


    

	<div id="most_popular">
	  <script>
	    requirejs(["most-popular"]);
	  </script>
	</div>

	
<div id="slug_336x60" class="ad " data-ad-type="336x60" data-ad-mode="desktop"></div>


	<div id="related">
	  <script>
	    requirejs(["related"], function(related) { related.init(); });
	  </script>
	</div>

	
<div id="slug_rightbigbox" class="ad " data-ad-type="rightbigbox" data-ad-mode="desktop"></div>


	

<section class="recent-videos">
  <h3 class="header">Recent Videos</h3>
  <div class="section-main">
    <ul class="videos-list">
     
      <li>
        <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Waiter-Fired-for-Racist-Remarks">
          <img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/magnifythumbs/8Z48NF235MDPVZR3.jpg" />
        </a>
        <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Waiter-Fired-for-Racist-Remarks">Waiter Fired for Racist Remarks Show Up on Receipts</a>
      </li>
      
      <li>
        <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Movie-Trailer-for-That-Daughter">
          <img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/magnifythumbs/PB0WS419LJVQKZVM.jpg" />
        </a>
        <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Movie-Trailer-for-That-Daughter">Movie Trailer for 'That Daughter's Crazy'</a>
      </li>
      
      <li>
        <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Target-Refuses-to-Apologize-For">
          <img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/magnifythumbs/9NXG8Z2C1VJ312BD.jpg" />
        </a>
        <a href="http://theroottv.theroot.com/video/Target-Refuses-to-Apologize-For">Target Refuses to Apologize For Whitewashing 'Annie' Ads</a>
      </li>
      
    </ul>
  </div>
</section>




	<div class="homepageFlexPromoB homepageflexpromob">


<section class="promoted">
  <h3 class="header">THE 2014 ROOT 100</h3>
  <div class="section-main">
    <ul class="promoted-articles">
    
      
      

        <li>
          <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014/charles_hudson.html"><img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/the_root_100/2014/charles-hudson-root100.jpg.CROP.hd-medium.jpg" /></a>
          <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014/charles_hudson.html">Charles Hudson, Partner at SoftTech VC</a>
        </li>
      
      
      

        <li>
          <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014/randall_jackson.html"><img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/theroot/the_root_100/2014/randall-jackson-root100.jpg.CROP.hd-medium.jpg" /></a>
          <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014/randall_jackson.html">Randall Jackson, Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New York </a>
        </li>
      
      
      

        <li>
          <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014/hakeem_jeffries.html"><img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/scaffolding/theroot/root100profile/453608014-house-representatives-from-new-york-yvette-clarke-and_1.jpg.CROP.hd-medium.jpg" /></a>
          <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014/hakeem_jeffries.html">Hakeem Jeffries, US Congressman</a>
        </li>
      
      
      

        <li>
          <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014/benjamin_crump.html"><img src="http://www.theroot.com/content/dam/scaffolding/theroot/root100profile/173420555-attorney-benjamin-crump-addresses-the-media-after-a.jpg.CROP.hd-medium.jpg" /></a>
          <a href="http://www.theroot.com/articles/lists/2014/09/the_root_100_2014/benjamin_crump.html">Benjamin Crump, Attorney</a>
        </li>
      
    </ul>
  </div>
</section>

</div>



</aside>
<div class="clear"> </div>

    
    <script>
      SG_Debug && SG_Debug.pagedebug && window.console && console.log && console.log('[' + (new Date()-SG_Debug.initialTime)/1000 + ']' + ' Bottom of body.jsp');
    </script>

    

  <div id="footer-advert" class="advert">
  
  </div>




   <div class="leaderboard-ad">
     
<div id="slug_leaderboard_2" class="banner ad " data-ad-type="leaderboard|2" data-ad-mode="desktop"></div>

   </div>


<footer>
  <div id="ht5-footer" style="clear: left;">

    <nav>
      <ul>
        <li class="first">
          <a href="http://help.theroot.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=15082&_referrer=http://www.theroot.com/">Help</a> |
        </li>
        <li>
          <a href="/articles/politics/2012/11/press.html">Press Page</a> |
        </li>
        <li>
          <a href="/articles/politics/2012/11/contact_us.html">Contact Us</a> |
        </li>
        <li>
          <a href="/articles/politics/2012/11/about_us.html">About Us</a> |
        </li>
        <li>
          <a href="/articles/politics/2010/03/advertise_on_the_root.html">Advertising</a> |
        </li>
        <li>
          <a href="/articles.teaser.all.25.rss">RSS</a> |
        </li>
        <li>
          <a href="/ads.html">Ad Choices</a> |
        </li>
        <li>
          <a href="/articles/politics/2012/11/privacy_policy.html#user">User Agreement</a> |
        </li>
        <li class="last">
          <a href="/articles/politics/2012/11/privacy_policy.html">Privacy Policy</a>
        </li>
      </ul>
    </nav>

    <div class="credits">
      The Root is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company.  All contents &#169; 2013 The Slate Group, LLC. <br />
      All rights reserved. <a href="/articles/politics/2012/11/privacy_policy.html">User Agreement and Policy</a>
    </div>

  </div>
</footer>

</div>
</div>

<div id="bottom-bound-div"></div>


  
  
    <div style="height:100px;" class="horizontal-band-bottom accent-band-bottom-culture">
  

    <aside>
        <div onclick='parselyBottomSwipe.prev()' class="pagination-link pagination-link-prev"></div>
        <div onclick='parselyBottomSwipe.next()' class="pagination-link pagination-link-next"></div>
          <div id="parsely-band-bottom" class="swipe">
                <div class="parsely-band-bottom-wrap"></div>
          </div>
    </aside>
</div>







    
    <script>
      SG_Debug && SG_Debug.pagedebug && window.console && console.log && console.log('[' + (new Date()-SG_Debug.initialTime)/1000 + ']' + ' Bottom of footer.jsp');
    </script>

    



<!-- Locker script -->






<script>
  setTimeout(function() {

    !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

    (function() {
      var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true;
      po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js';
      var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s);
    })();

    (function(d){
      var f = d.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0], p = d.createElement('SCRIPT');
      p.type = 'text/javascript';
      p.async = true;
      p.src = '//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js';
      f.parentNode.insertBefore(p, f);
    }(document));

    requirejs(["nav"]);

 }, 100);

 requirejs(["parsely-band"], function(parsely_band) { 
   parsely_band.init();
 });

</script>

<script>
if (desktopMode()) {
  requirejs(["jquery", "libs/swipe"], function($, Swipe) {
    var parselyTimeBottom, ptop_count = 0, pbottom_count = 0;
    
    function loadParselyBand(){
      ptop_count ++;
      if(ptop_count > 10){ clearInterval(parselyTime); }
      
      if($("#parsely-band .parsely-block").length > 0){
        clearInterval(parselyTime);
        window.parselyTopSwipe = new Swipe(document.getElementById('parsely-band'), {
          startSlide:1,
          speed:1000,
          continuous: true
        });
        $(".pagination-link-prev, .pagination-link-next").css("display","block");
        
        $(".horizontal-band .pagination-link-prev").on('click', function(e){parselyTopSwipe.prev();});
        $(".horizontal-band .pagination-link-next").on('click', function(e){parselyTopSwipe.next();});

        parselyTimeBottom = window.setInterval(loadParselyBandBottom, 1000);
      }
    }
    
    function loadParselyBandBottom(){
      pbottom_count ++;
      if(pbottom_count > 10){ clearInterval(parselyTimeBottom); }
      
      if($("#parsely-band-bottom .parsely-block").length > 0){
        clearInterval(parselyTimeBottom);
        
        window.parselyBottomSwipe = new Swipe(document.getElementById('parsely-band-bottom'), {
          startSlide: 1,
          speed:1000,
          continuous: true
        });
        $(".pagination-link-prev, .pagination-link-next").css("display","block");

        $(".horizontal-band-bottom .pagination-link-prev").on('click', function(e){parselyBottomSwipe.prev();});
        $(".horizontal-band-bottom .pagination-link-next").on('click', function(e){parselyBottomSwipe.next();});
      }
    }
    var parselyTime = window.setInterval(loadParselyBand, 1000);
  });
}
</script>

<!-- Target External Hyperlinks -->
<script>
requirejs(["jquery"], function($) {
  $(document).ready(function() {
    $('a').each(function() {
       var a = new RegExp('/' + window.location.host + '/');
       if(!a.test(this.href)) {
           $(this).click(function(event) {
               event.preventDefault();
               event.stopPropagation();
               window.open(this.href, '_blank');
           });
       }
    });

  });
});
</script>
<!-- ./Target External Hyperlinks -->

<!-- This mysteriously dies when compiled -->
<script>
requirejs(["jquery", "libs/jquery-plugins/jquery.browser"], function($) { 
    if ($.browser.msie) {
      $(".avatar, .social-buttons").each(function(i, elm) {
        $(elm).find("iframe")
          .on('mouseenter', function(e) {
            $(elm).addClass('hover');
          })
          .on('mouseleave', function(e) {
            $(elm).removeClass('hover');
          });
      });
    }
});
</script>

<script type="text/javascript">

var _sf_async_config={uid:9250,domain:"theroot.com"};
_sf_async_config.useCanonical = true;
if (wp_meta_data) {
    var sectionsArray = new Array();
    if (wp_meta_data.section !== undefined) {
        sectionsArray.push(wp_meta_data.section);
    }
    if (wp_meta_data.rubric !== undefined) {
        sectionsArray.push(wp_meta_data.rubric);
    }
    if (wp_meta_data.blog !== undefined) {
        sectionsArray.push(wp_meta_data.blog);
    }
    _sf_async_config.sections = sectionsArray.join(",");
    if (wp_meta_data.authors !== undefined) {
        _sf_async_config.authors = wp_meta_data.authors.join(",");
    }
}

(function(){
  function loadChartbeat() {
    window._sf_endpt=(new Date()).getTime();
    var e = document.createElement('script');
    e.setAttribute('language', 'javascript');
    e.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript');
    e.setAttribute('src',
       (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://a248.e.akamai.net/chartbeat.download.akamai.com/102508/" : "http://static.chartbeat.com/") +
       "js/chartbeat.js");
    document.body.appendChild(e);
  }
  var oldonload = window.onload;
  window.onload = (typeof window.onload != 'function') ?
     loadChartbeat : function() { oldonload(); loadChartbeat(); };
})();
</script>


<div id="parsely-root" style="display: none">
  <div id="parsely-cfg" data-parsely-site="theroot.com"></div>
</div>
<script>
(function(s, p, d) {
  var h=d.location.protocol, i=p+"-"+s,
      e=d.getElementById(i), r=d.getElementById(p+"-root"),
      u=h==="https:"?"d1z2jf7jlzjs58.cloudfront.net"
      :"static."+p+".com";
  if (e) return;
  e = d.createElement(s); e.id = i; e.async = true;
  e.src = h+"//"+u+"/p.js"; r.appendChild(e);
})("script", "parsely", document);
</script>
<!-- END Parse.ly Include -->

<!--Visual Revenue Reader Response Tracking Script (v6) -->
<script type="text/javascript">
var _vrq = _vrq || [];
_vrq.push(['id', 544]);
_vrq.push(['automate', true]);
_vrq.push(['track', function(){}]);
(function(d, a){
var s = d.createElement(a),
x = d.getElementsByTagName(a)[0];
s.async = true;
s.src = 'http://a.visualrevenue.com/vrs.js';
x.parentNode.insertBefore(s, x);
})(document, 'script');
</script>
<!-- End of VR RR Tracking Script - All rights reserved -->

<script>
 requirejs(["shared/campaignManager", "optimizely"], function(campaigns, types, templates, optimizely) {
   campaigns.execute();
 });
</script>


<script type="text/javascript">
  requirejs(["jquery", "queryly"], function($, unused) {
    // Fix for Chrome issue with queryly
    $(".search-pop-up").on('mouseout', function(e) {
      $("#queryly_suggest").detach();
    });

    queryly.QuerylyKey = 'c6e90bf4e43348bb';
    queryly.layout.topMargin = -5;
    queryly.extendedDataFields = 'author';
    queryly.customContainer = 'queryly_results_container';

    queryly.QuerylyBind();
  });
</script>


<script>
requirejs(["jquery"], function($) {
  // iOS svg link hacky workaround
   if ((mobileMode() || tabletMode()) && navigator.userAgent.match(/(iPad|iPhone|iPod)/g)) {
     $(".logo").append('<div style="background:transparent; width:100px; height: 60px; position: absolute; top: 0px"></div>').click(function() { window.location="http://www.theroot.com"; });
   }
});
</script>


<script type="text/javascript">
requirejs(["jquery"], function($) {
    (function() {
        function loadHorizon() {
            var s = document.createElement('script');
            s.type = 'text/javascript';
            s.async = true;
            s.src = location.protocol + '//ak.sail-horizon.com/horizon/v1.js';
            var x = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
            x.parentNode.insertBefore(s, x);
        }
        loadHorizon();
        var oldOnLoad = window.onload;
        window.onload = function() {
            if (typeof oldOnLoad === 'function') {
                oldOnLoad();
            }
            Sailthru.setup({
                domain: 'horizon.theroot.com'
            });
        };
    })();
});
</script>


  </script>


<script>
 requirejs(["config", "shared/sgads"], function(config, ads) {
   ads.wire("http://js.slate.com/wp-srv/ad/loaders/latest/js/min/loader.min.js", config.site.site);
 });
</script>



<iframe src="//theroot-static-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/etc/designs/theroot/identity/misc/preload.html" height="1" width="1"></iframe>

    
    <script>
      SG_Debug && SG_Debug.pagedebug && window.console && console.log && console.log('[' + (new Date()-SG_Debug.initialTime)/1000 + ']' + ' Bottom of footer-scripts.jsp');
    </script>

  <!--

  Page Loading starts on 2015/01/03 06:48:22, Total time elapsed to render is 0.1466953 seconds, Server: pub2.theroot.com

  -->

	</body>
</html>
